The field of the present invention is emergency signaling and devices to accomplish the same.
The use of signage to indicate the condition of a stationary vehicle is well known in the art. For example, Rabkin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,909, discloses a sign to display distress signals for alerting passing motorists. On seeing the sign, it is hoped that a passing motorist will summon an appropriate emergency response. Indeed, Rabkin shows several versions of the distress displays such as a sign to request the police, a sign to request the fire department, a sign to request a tow truck, or a sign to request an ambulance. Thereby a passing motorist would know what type of assistance is needed and summon such assistance to the disabled stationary vehicle.
Also well known in the art are various methods to attach distress signage to a stationary vehicle. For example in Rabkin, discussed above, distress signage is secured to the vehicle or the vehicle's window using a suction cup. In Panossian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,381, distress signage is clipped to the top of a lowered side window with the signage extending perpendicularly from the window.
The prior art thus discloses structures and methods for a person to display signage proximate a disabled stationary vehicle that encourages a passing motorist to summon an emergency response.
However, when a person parks a vehicle on the shoulder of a road, that person does not always need emergency assistance. Unfortunately, the people in the passing cars who observe the stationary vehicle have no way of knowing that an emergency response is not desired. The observers in the passing cars may assume help is needed and stop to offer personal assistance or call the authorities for a professional emergency response. Such a needless emergency response unnecessarily could place the observer at risk if the observer is intent on robbing the person in the parked vehicle, or even causing bodily harm to him or her. Also, if an observer in good faith calls for assistance, the emergency response system is unnecessarily burdened if the observer calls for assistance when one is required or desired.
For example, if a vehicle has a flat tire, the driver may prefer changing the tire themselves without outside assistance. If a passing vehicle stops to offer assistance, there is a risk of accident or mishap as the vehicle offering assistance enters and exits the lanes of active traffic.
Further, today it is common for drivers to have portable or cellular telephones. Drivers may thereby easily summon emergency help by calling an emergency number such as 911 or the Highway Patrol and indicate the location of an emergency site. For example, drivers may see a vehicle parked on the shoulder of a road, assume assistance is needed, and summon help to that site. In other circumstances, a driver may not have access to a portable telephone. However, call boxes are now installed on many freeways whereby a driver may stop and immediately contact an emergency organization such as the Highway Patrol. In such a situation the driver may see a stalled vehicle, assume help is needed, and drive ahead to a call box and contact authorities.
However, the person at the stationary vehicle may not want or even need a professional emergency response to be summoned to the stationary vehicle. It is highly desirable to avoid unnecessary calls to an emergency response system, and thereby clog its communication system. Thus, it would be highly desirable to avoid any unnecessary burden on the emergency response system.
In another example, a vehicle becomes disabled and the driver desires assistance. Using prior art signage the driver may indicate that assistance is needed and therefore passing motorists may summon a professional emergency response. It is even likely on a busy road that several drivers will make calls to summon an emergency response. Further, in some circumstances, a passing motorist may, in good faith, stop and offer personal assistance. Indeed, the driver with the disabled vehicle may become aware that an emergency response has already been requested or find that an emergency response is no longer needed. However, those vehicles passing by will not know that an emergency response has already been requested and may therefore continue to call 911 or other emergency number for requesting an emergency response. Others may also stop to offer assistance themselves, and the stranded motorist may be placed in jeopardy, if the person who is ostensibly stopping to help has evil motives. In such a case, the stranded motorist maybe placed in fear of bodily harm. Also, the motorist who is stopping to help, has increased the chance of accident or mishap by entering and exiting the active travel lanes. Moreover, the emergency response system may become unnecessarily burdened.
Thus, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved device and method which would not place the stranded motorist in jeopardy, and would not cause the emergency response communication system to become clogged with unnecessary calls. Additionally, such a device and method should not cause disruption to the normal flow of traffic.